tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73052579546173722602014-10-06T22:34:34.204-07:00Adventures of the NewanderthalNewanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-66521463447481374282013-04-05T10:06:00.001-07:002013-04-05T10:06:38.742-07:00Spring Break 2013We've never been accused of doing things the normal way, and for Adventure Chick and I spring break was no exception. While everyone else hightailed it to the Outer Banks for some balmy sunshine we drive north to a mountain cabin near Summersville Lake. With temperatures peaking in the mid 40's, our three days of canoeing and hiking certainly didn't feel like springtime. In fact, our second day of canoeing was during 21 degree weather. At least the sun was shining.<br /><br />I could spend all day writing about clear mountain lake water and blue skies, about cool sand 18 feet below the normal water line and how my lunatic dog liked dragging his belly through it or magnificent rock formations. I could talk about sitting behind a waterfall that splashed down on ice-covered rocks and icicles hanging from the edges of the cliff above. I could tell you about rainbows caught in the mist.<br /><br />I could type all those things here, but I won't. I will not waste your time or mine with some failed attempt to describe the magic of this wonderful place. Instead, I'll show you. It's simply beautiful up there in that mountain lake. Don't take my word for it. See for yourself.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7XFXwQ470_g/UV8CD1DNHbI/AAAAAAAAAMk/r9SqYcEL92I/s1600/DSCN0798.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7XFXwQ470_g/UV8CD1DNHbI/AAAAAAAAAMk/r9SqYcEL92I/s320/DSCN0798.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the view from behind the waterfall.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ogtf2rM-K3k/UV8CFUSbCoI/AAAAAAAAAMo/RPIp9nbinZ0/s1600/DSC_6386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ogtf2rM-K3k/UV8CFUSbCoI/AAAAAAAAAMo/RPIp9nbinZ0/s320/DSC_6386.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I named this place "Pirate Cave" or "Pirate Cove". The name changed every few minutes. There was no buried treasure but I'm pretty certain I saw a pirate sailing nearby.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X_MS4WWwl2U/UV8CG7r2vpI/AAAAAAAAAM0/eEilF0jKoEg/s1600/DSC_6385.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X_MS4WWwl2U/UV8CG7r2vpI/AAAAAAAAAM0/eEilF0jKoEg/s320/DSC_6385.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You see the tree line? Way up there? Yeah, that's where the water usually is.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1_zvLotYa10/UV8CQkV7PNI/AAAAAAAAAM8/Gh_-ie29m-8/s1600/DSC_6387.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1_zvLotYa10/UV8CQkV7PNI/AAAAAAAAAM8/Gh_-ie29m-8/s320/DSC_6387.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3E897wsgOFY/UV8CSdCHO2I/AAAAAAAAANE/oAIh5G8CT9U/s1600/DSC_6400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3E897wsgOFY/UV8CSdCHO2I/AAAAAAAAANE/oAIh5G8CT9U/s320/DSC_6400.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A miniature forest of ice crystals growing up from the ground.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rXRO2eKk8G0/UV8CTRXJ9FI/AAAAAAAAANM/5q_Suopwo-U/s1600/DSC_6402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rXRO2eKk8G0/UV8CTRXJ9FI/AAAAAAAAANM/5q_Suopwo-U/s320/DSC_6402.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the area's many waterfalls.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fqx1vhcFbf4/UV8CYF6JBoI/AAAAAAAAANU/tW-UtIkplgE/s1600/DSC_6421.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fqx1vhcFbf4/UV8CYF6JBoI/AAAAAAAAANU/tW-UtIkplgE/s320/DSC_6421.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Adventure Chick and Adventure Dog, cruising beside the cliffs.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HZ5g7vqWBkA/UV8CfLQg7yI/AAAAAAAAANc/0hQM_0OcPkI/s1600/DSC_6441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HZ5g7vqWBkA/UV8CfLQg7yI/AAAAAAAAANc/0hQM_0OcPkI/s320/DSC_6441.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ice. One of the wonderful surprises Summersville Lake had to offer.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--xvHE94bAzA/UV8Cizj8jUI/AAAAAAAAANk/A6U_Phz1y38/s1600/DSC_6444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--xvHE94bAzA/UV8Cizj8jUI/AAAAAAAAANk/A6U_Phz1y38/s320/DSC_6444.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BI8EeY85n_Y/UV8Co8EymZI/AAAAAAAAANs/-B0rqMBb_gs/s1600/DSC_6447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BI8EeY85n_Y/UV8Co8EymZI/AAAAAAAAANs/-B0rqMBb_gs/s320/DSC_6447.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frozen branch overhanging the waterfall.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-effOnH4tbhY/UV8Cqk3iJUI/AAAAAAAAAN0/2s2h-9_aHN0/s1600/DSC_6427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-effOnH4tbhY/UV8Cqk3iJUI/AAAAAAAAAN0/2s2h-9_aHN0/s320/DSC_6427.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waterfall near Salmon Run boat launch.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FhliZ--8jmg/UV8Cqlpmw2I/AAAAAAAAAN4/C4Gvp6TD5vg/s1600/DSC_6449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FhliZ--8jmg/UV8Cqlpmw2I/AAAAAAAAAN4/C4Gvp6TD5vg/s320/DSC_6449.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adventure Dog dragging his belly in the sand... again.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Us6ClwB86bk/UV8Cz3IgozI/AAAAAAAAAOE/XGjRe5KOx08/s1600/DSC_6463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Us6ClwB86bk/UV8Cz3IgozI/AAAAAAAAAOE/XGjRe5KOx08/s320/DSC_6463.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So glad we took this trip when it was still freezing cold.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VbYmnZ5Z1ok/UV8C0NSc2YI/AAAAAAAAAOM/1Cdn4HhFqlQ/s1600/DSC_6496.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VbYmnZ5Z1ok/UV8C0NSc2YI/AAAAAAAAAOM/1Cdn4HhFqlQ/s320/DSC_6496.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I couldn't take outdoor photos without trying for at least one lens flare. Could I?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XzF9pTOIphk/UV8C2XSCVdI/AAAAAAAAAOU/lLdbgcK0qy0/s1600/DSC_6468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XzF9pTOIphk/UV8C2XSCVdI/AAAAAAAAAOU/lLdbgcK0qy0/s320/DSC_6468.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caught the rainbow at the bottom.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-23238945686968306652013-02-07T10:52:00.004-08:002013-02-07T10:52:37.656-08:00PUBLISHED!I was recently approached by an editor from <a href="http://beyondlimitsmagazine.com/">Beyond Limits Magazine</a> and asked to write an article about my Walkabout. The most difficult part was keeping it around 1,000 words.<br /><br />Here it is.<br /><br /><a href="http://beyondlimitsmagazine.com/a-quest-to-fill-the-gaping-hole">A QUEST TO FILL THE GAPING HOLE</a><br /><br />Enjoy.Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-37626118116588314632012-11-26T07:31:00.000-08:002012-11-26T07:31:00.997-08:00Thanksgiving/Black Friday AdventureEvery year the madness of Thanksgiving and Black Friday seems to increase exponentially. The traffic gets worse, the crowds grow larger, and the general aggression of people escalates as Thursday turns into Friday and none of that seems to recede one bit until January 3rd. Last year Adventure Chick and I found a very effective and fulfilling method of dealing with this problem, and it's a method I've always been told never solves anything.<br /><br />We run away.<br /><br />Last year for the frantic holiday we abandoned civilization for a backpacking trip in the Appalachian Mountains. The only people we saw were like-minded individuals seeking peace and enjoyment in the quiet places on this planet, immersing themselves in the stillness of mountain forests while the rest of the country went mad over sale items.<br /><br />This year, we drove 950 miles to a magical area I can't seem to stay away from. Ponca, AR is a town of roughly 125 people (I've seen about 13. I guess the other are always been in hiding.) The town consists of a single road with the general store, gas station, cabin rental and canoe rental all inhabiting the same building. The peace and quiet associated with the town that is literally a wide spot in the road is only part of the magic that keeps drawing me back.<br /><br />We set out early on Wednesday, around 3am, and drove almost nonstop. Pitstops and fuel were our only breaks during the entire drive. We checked into the quaint cabin located on the 'outskirts' of Ponca and collapsed into the already steaming hot tub just long enough to boil before showering and passing out for the night... at about 8pm. Then were were up before dawn, coffee brewing and both of us anxious to stretch our legs after an entire day of driving.<br /><br />Thanksgiving saw us hiking first to Whitaker Point (known by outsiders as Hawk's Bill Crag). The fairly mild trail leads directly to the rocky point that juts out of the cliff a full 40 feet into the open air above the rocky valley, but we have trouble staying on the trail. Almost to the point, we were distracted by a rocky cliff and the next hour was spent descending, scrambling, and hiking down a couple hundred vertical feet. Our crazy dog loved every moment of it... except when he had to be picked up to be lifted or lowered over drops too high for him to jump.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GdAYj6lr92U/ULOJn-nKeCI/AAAAAAAAALU/q05ojJRIZPM/s1600/DSCN0386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GdAYj6lr92U/ULOJn-nKeCI/AAAAAAAAALU/q05ojJRIZPM/s320/DSCN0386.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />After satisfying our curiosity, we climbed back up to the trail and continued on to the point, a rocky crag that protrudes straight out over the valley below. Rounding a bend in the trail, the point suddenly becomes visible about a hundred yards away, an imposing triangle of brown stone thrust into the empty air. Standing on the point is something else altogether. The earth drops away on every side and suddenly the only thing between the hiker and a two hundred foot fall is a narrow tip of rock. Wind threatens to disrupt your balance and a sense of emptiness floods into the vertigo as you stare around and the wide valley that stretches around you. Across the emptiness, a murder of crows torment some lone, white bird. Sitting on the rock, you can't help but feel alone in the world, even with the person you love most and a dog you love like a child right beside you.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D5QMqLteow8/ULOJu6geeUI/AAAAAAAAALc/eblOFKNZTxc/s1600/DSCN0444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D5QMqLteow8/ULOJu6geeUI/AAAAAAAAALc/eblOFKNZTxc/s320/DSCN0444.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />I can't explain why I always feel alone and somewhat sad when I sit on Whitaker Point, perhaps it's because the rest of the world has fallen away and I'm stranded there in the emptiness that surrounds from all places visible when staring out. My only connection is the widening rock behind me. Perhaps it's the unseen but clearly felt emptiness beneath. Whatever it is, there's a solitude to be felt on Whitaker Point, but there is peace also. And that combination of emotions is tangible and magical. I miss it when I leave, but I know another place to find it.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-doRdbcAWjCw/ULOJ19P2LSI/AAAAAAAAALk/Vrig9xP2zFg/s1600/DSCN0454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-doRdbcAWjCw/ULOJ19P2LSI/AAAAAAAAALk/Vrig9xP2zFg/s320/DSCN0454.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />Returning from Whitaker Point, we followed the highway north toward Ponca, turning off a mile and a half from our cabin into Lost Valley State Park. The short, crooked road leads to a small parking lot with a half dozen cars, and there, my cousin and his wife met us. Bringing gifts of excellent cigars, Mr. Cakes joined our adventure as we set off down the winding trail. The first half of the trail is rather boring, but it separates the beauty of the small valley from the parking lot. Near the halfway point, we departed the trail (because trails were meant to be left behind) and sought out the mouth of a small cave. With only two flashlights between us (and a dog who expressed his unease about crawling into the darkness of the cave) Adventure Chick and Mr. Cakes began the exploration, crawling on hands and knees into the cold rock hole.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0-wRd7efOLs/ULOJ6mLd1AI/AAAAAAAAALs/NLqSOylkXjA/s1600/DSCN0471.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0-wRd7efOLs/ULOJ6mLd1AI/AAAAAAAAALs/NLqSOylkXjA/s320/DSCN0471.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />The caves here have no markings or guides or hand rails, and that's just the way we like them. This particular cave is more of a misshapen culvert than a cave, a twisted, crooked tunnel that can only be crawled on hands and knees. Though I didn't crawl in this time, I have been there before. The tunnel is long and grows increasingly tighter as it bores deeper into the rock, terminating in a kidney-shaped chamber some distance back with only a small hole roughly the size of a basketball proceeding further. A narrow trickle of water runs along the uneven bottom, turning your toes to ice as you crawl sideways into the tunnel.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZVtJrxmSZrU/ULOKD0wuVjI/AAAAAAAAAL8/OOoNrfVNp7c/s1600/DSCN0480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZVtJrxmSZrU/ULOKD0wuVjI/AAAAAAAAAL8/OOoNrfVNp7c/s320/DSCN0480.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Adventure Chick and Mr. Cakes emerged several minutes after entering, breath hanging like smoke in the air while Mrs. Cakes and I sat at the mouth of the small cave with Rocco. Their clothes were filthy, as they were meant to be. One can't properly see a cave and remain clean... or dry. It's just not natural.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NAA6PRy2AWs/ULOJ_CVmKgI/AAAAAAAAAL0/kWsmr9g_DNs/s1600/DSCN0473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NAA6PRy2AWs/ULOJ_CVmKgI/AAAAAAAAAL0/kWsmr9g_DNs/s320/DSCN0473.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />The climb up to Eden Falls Cave was steep, but after the relatively flat trail through the canyon, we were eager to tackle it. Scrambling up stone inclines and winding switchbacks, we arrived at the mouth of the cave. Roughly ten feet wide and about seven feet high, the entrance was a poor indication of what lay beyond. Walking the fifteen or twenty feet to the rear of that first chamber had us ducking our heads by the time we reached the back. Then, the cave became a narrow hallway, the bottom half perfectly vertical and the top half leaning at a near 45 degree angle to one side. In order to walk through, one had to step into the hallway sideways and lean forward, shuffling through the crooked path until the floor dropped out a dozen or so paces back. Then, Climbing down, we descended into the second portion of the path. Here, we were forced to crawl on hands and knees over rough and crooked rock beneath a wide stone ceiling.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hiVuyAkyIIE/ULOKHiV3oiI/AAAAAAAAAMI/-cwtFNhZek8/s1600/DSCN0491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hiVuyAkyIIE/ULOKHiV3oiI/AAAAAAAAAMI/-cwtFNhZek8/s320/DSCN0491.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Hands burning from the cold and the grit, we emerged into the vault at the rear of the cave where a tiny trickle of icy water fell from a domed ceiling and little bats lined the walls. The air was hazy from our condensing breath and cold from the chilled rock. Turning off the headlamps thrust us into a darkness so complete that opening or closing the eyes made no visible difference. Everything was black, totally black. Without the lights, in the stillness and void of that cavern, I felt that loneliness again, just as I had when I was surrounded by air in the bright morning light on Whitaker Point. There, in the cold rock and the darkness, the feeling was identical. Vertigo, emptiness, loneliness, and peace.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OFtBxAQQDu8/ULOKNDMtWiI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/0Twz0lAkbn8/s1600/DSCN0495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OFtBxAQQDu8/ULOKNDMtWiI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/0Twz0lAkbn8/s320/DSCN0495.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />We had Thanksgiving dinner that night, consisting of a tur-duc-hen roast, green bean casserole, rolls, stuffing, and corn still in the husk. I drank strawberry milk from a wine glass, a Ponca tradition that began ten years ago on my first trip to the little town. Dessert was sweet potato pie. We finished up by smoking some fine tobacco from our pipes on the back deck of the cabin. I had great food, a happy girlfriend, and a happy pup. The three of us were exhausted from a day that had started before the sun had risen and ended after it had vanished again. Seeing the smiling, tired faces around me, I realized that no man has ever been happier than I was right then. There can be nothing greater to be thankful for than that.<br /><br />I admit we are guilty of Black Friday shopping, stopping in at the general store for a few souvenirs and treats. The holiday madness had reached all the way to Ponca. The store was bustling with shoppers. There must have been eight or even ten of them in the half hour we were there.<br /><br />We drove back on Saturday, crossing the 950 miles again in four hard driving sessions, and unloaded our two bits of luggage in one trip (a mini-fridge loaded with left-overs and a gray tote containing everything else).<br /><br />The effects of the long drive have subsided along with the weariness. All that remains are the memories of a magical spot on the map and a desire to return sooner rather than later.Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-74223537991132719162012-04-17T07:42:00.002-07:002012-04-17T07:50:35.850-07:00Maiden Voyage of the Liberated Sturgeon<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">We talked to the guys at <a href="http://greatoutdoorprovision.com/shops/charlotte/">Great Outdoor Provision Co</a>. in Charlotte about getting the canoe and told them what we needed it for. My worry was that the canoe would be the standard MSRP ($1600) plus about $700 for shipping. That's what most of the other places were quoting me. GOPC wasn't most other places. They were already placing an order from Old Town Canoe and so they just added my canoe to the order. Then they gave me last year's price. And they didn't charge me shipping.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><br /></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--p3Il0fzrFk/T42BmbiqnQI/AAAAAAAAAJg/6LBfU4IFpZs/s1600/DSC_6020-716003.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732380397940677890" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--p3Il0fzrFk/T42BmbiqnQI/AAAAAAAAAJg/6LBfU4IFpZs/s320/DSC_6020-716003.JPG" /></a></div><div><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">My $1600 canoe cost me $1400, brand new, delivered to their Charlotte location where they were kind enough to load it onto the roof of the truck.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">If you're in North Carolina and need some outdoor gear, check out the Great Outdoor Provision Company first. They deserve your business and you deserve their awesome treatment the extend to their customers.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Now, special thanks and mention to the retailer aside, I'll get on to the test voyage of the "Liberated Sturgeon".</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tbMGHbx8p-4/T42BmkGs9SI/AAAAAAAAAJs/7Sb2Ujz2XwA/s1600/DSC_6036-718115.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732380400239310114" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tbMGHbx8p-4/T42BmkGs9SI/AAAAAAAAAJs/7Sb2Ujz2XwA/s320/DSC_6036-718115.JPG" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">We took the new canoe to Latta Plantation and got the hull wet. Unfortunately, we picked exactly the wrong time and rolled out to the launch just as the afternoon wind was kicking into high gear. We faced a 15 mph headwind from the start, which changed into a crosswind as soon as we got accustomed to it, and then became a crosswind from the other direction just as we were adapting to the first crosswind.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">The result was lots of waves, lots of getting blown off course, lots of getting turned when we needed to go straight, going straight when we needed to turn, and even traveling at a forward-sideways angle no matter what we did. In short, it was frustrating.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">But it was still fun. We got a good workout and saw how the canoe handles choppy water and high wind.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CB4qfjL6HKQ/T42BnAzJ3UI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/UZEDtJkvU1A/s1600/528057_10150733084843028_500683027_9358280_775815594_n-720403.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732380407941946690" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CB4qfjL6HKQ/T42BnAzJ3UI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/UZEDtJkvU1A/s320/528057_10150733084843028_500683027_9358280_775815594_n-720403.jpg" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">What came next was the real test. A few days later we put in at the same location in the early morning. This time the strong wind was a gentle breeze and the choppy lake was flat water. We cruised leisurely, crossing the lake and heading upriver for several hours. The view was spectacular, the weather was nice, and the new canoe sliced through the water like a blade.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">On one of our brief land excursions, Tasha found an old bayonet in excellent condition which she plans to clean up and sharpen.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m1ATsS_q0Ts/T42Bndq5AXI/AAAAAAAAAKA/0wGK-nQ30rs/s1600/535217_10150733085988028_500683027_9358292_2094518646_n-721609.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732380415691915634" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m1ATsS_q0Ts/T42Bndq5AXI/AAAAAAAAAKA/0wGK-nQ30rs/s320/535217_10150733085988028_500683027_9358292_2094518646_n-721609.jpg" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">At the northern end of the lake, there's a sandbar just beneath the surface of the water that extends several hundred yards like a giant shelf. At its edge, the bottom drops sharply to unknown depths. Paddling over this drop-off that lies just beneath the clear surface is like walking on a plate of glass that extends over the edge of a cliff. You know you won't fall off, but that sense of vertigo seizes you nonetheless. It's frightening and exhilarating at the same time. I can't explain it better than that and you really can't understand what I mean until you paddle over the edge and feel that sensation for yourself. Just know that it will give you a chill every time you do it.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">I'm not sure how long we spent on the lake, I didn't bring a phone or a watch. We had the sun to show us we had time to make it back before dark, and our bellies to tell us when to eat. I didn't want to know what time it was or how long we were there. Maybe it was five hours. Maybe it was forever. It was fun and I'll do it again next time I'm in town.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span><br /><div class="mobile-photo"></div><div class="mobile-photo"></div><div class="mobile-photo"></div><div class="mobile-photo"></div><div class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P_1pvkilTQo/T42Bnmis4dI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/N3Yu2vdFNDw/s1600/574988_10150733085818028_500683027_9358289_835296568_n-722541.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732380418073485778" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P_1pvkilTQo/T42Bnmis4dI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/N3Yu2vdFNDw/s320/574988_10150733085818028_500683027_9358289_835296568_n-722541.jpg" /></a></div><br /></div></div>Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-84715256251496119222012-01-05T14:05:00.000-08:002012-01-05T14:05:10.599-08:00New Year. New Adventure.2012. Year of the Apocalypse... if you believe the lunatics on the web misinterpreting the Mayan calendar. It's an election year, so my new home will be action-packed with people for the DNC... but I won't be there for that. I'll be a million miles away trying to fulfill a dream.<br /><br />While the Democrats are trying to drum up support from Charlotte, North Carolina, my girlfriend and I, accompanied by my dog, will be paddling down the Mississippi River. I've always wanted to do something big, but I never knew what. Several years ago, I got the idea to go walkabout and thus this blog began.<br /><br />While prepping for that trip I came up with a crazy idea... canoe the entire Mississippi River. I didn't think it would be possible, and part of me is still doubtful. And that's what makes it exciting.<br /><br />I don't typically make resolutions but I do have a bucket list that I add to frequently. I know I'll never be able to complete everything on there, but that's fine. As long as I'm still adding to that list I know that I'm still dreaming and as long as the items on my list seem impossible, then I know I'm still ambitious.<br /><br />Hopefully I'll die with a dozen big things still on my list and at least twice as many crossed out.<br /><br />So the big adventure for 2012 is canoeing the entire Mississippi River. After that? Who knows? I have a whole list of adventures from which to choose, including hiking the Inca Trail and contracting malaria.<br /><br />What's your list? What are your dreams? What would you like to do?<br /><br />Make your list now, no matter how crazy it sounds.<br /><br />Once you have your bucket list, do something about it.<br /><br />I dare you.Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-29548986677100462832011-12-17T13:47:00.001-08:002011-12-17T13:47:07.707-08:00Kick Fear In The Face<div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I'm afraid. Of lots of things. I missed a lot of opportunities, or didn't try hard enough and failed at too many things, so I'm afraid of failure. I want to succeed. More than ever. To make up for those past failures.</div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I'm afraid of heights. I fell out of a tree once and my vest snagged on a branch. It bunched up around my neck and I dangled there like a convict at the gallows in an old western movie. Now, climbing a ladder freaks me out. My hands start to shake as I get higher, but I still like climbing.</div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I'm afraid of water. I fell into a swimming pool when I was four and swallowed half the pool. My mom had to pump the water out of my lungs. I can't walk too far into the ocean before I start to feel nervous. If my feet can't touch the bottom I have to go back. I can't linger in the deep end of a pool even though I can swim. Canoeing terrifies me. But it's fun, so I do it anyway.</div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I'm afraid of things, things I shouldn't be afraid of, but I will not allow those fears to limit or define my life. When faced with an opportunity for adventure there's usually a situation that should inspire fear. I think it's a prerequisite for adventures. Those challenges can either be retreated from or passed through. You can either enjoy the adventure, or shy away from it. Have fun or play it safe.</div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">You'll never risk getting hurt if you play it safe, but you'll never risk earning that sense of accomplishment either. When I found a narrow, damp, low-ceilinged cave in Arkansas, I started to hyperventilate while still sizing it up. It was no death-defying feat to squeeze through there and see where that cave led, but gasping for breath in that dark hole was a huge accomplishment for me, not in spite of my fear, but because of it. It's more meaningful if you're afraid of doing it because you not only conquered the challenge, but conquered your fear.</div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I hope to challenge myself with every adventure, great and small. I hope to learn from my fears and work through them rather than allow them to dissuade me from discovery and adventure. I hope to inspire others to do the same. And I hope to always find new things to be afraid of, so that I can kick that fear in the face and accomplish something anyway.</div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Things I'm Afraid of: Heights, Water, Enclosed Spaces, Large Groups of People, Failure, Public Speaking and Eating In Front of Strangers.</div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Things I'm Not Afraid Of: Bears, Alligators, Venomous Snakes, Spiders, Hurricanes, Fire, Being Alone In the Woods At Night, Camping In Swamps, Hopping Trains, Hitchhikers, Men With Chainsaws, Men With Guns and Getting Lost.</div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 16.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Funny. The most dangerous things don't worry me at all, but the trivial almost gives me panic attacks.</div>Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-37508673621419914482011-11-10T11:38:00.000-08:002011-11-10T11:38:28.436-08:00"Get Off Your @$$......and do something worth telling the grandkids about."<br /><br />I think that's going to be my official words of encouragement from here on. I think it's fitting. What about you?<br /><br />You don't have to do something big. You don't have to do something dangerous. You don't have to do anything that will earn the praises or attention of your peers or family members. In fact, you might want to do something that will earn disapproval, as those are the deeds we're most likely to talk about at a later date.<br /><br />Do something fun and exciting.<br />Do something unpredictable.<br />Do something that doesn't at all fit into your routine.<br /><br />Go forth and explore. See what's in the woods behind that rest area. See what's under your house. See what's up in that tree.<br /><br />Learn what it feels like to swim in a frigid river. Learn what it feels like to crawl in a cave. Learn what it feels like to jump out of an airplane.<br /><br />One day, your kids and grandkids will be sorting through photos, trying to decide what to put in the slideshow at your funeral. Make their eyes bug out. Make their jaws drop. Make them jealous. But most of all, INSPIRE THEM. If you do, then one day their grandkids will look at the photos of your grandchildren and say "grandpa did that?"<br /><br />Now doesn't that put a smile on your face?<br /><br />What are you waiting for?&nbsp;Do something stupid.&nbsp;And do it with a smile on your face, because you have no idea who will be looking at the photos in fifty years.<br /><br /><div><br /></div>Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-58083871662905426172011-11-06T13:11:00.000-08:002011-11-06T13:14:40.456-08:00The New PaddlesAs I'm sure you already know, Tasha and I are taking several months off from the daily grind next year to go on a 2,400 mile expedition down the Mississippi River. If you didn't already know, well, you do now. And to move our 17 foot canoe along the mightiest of rivers on the continent, we'll need paddles that can stand up to the challenge.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KUtq1l3yPUw/Trb2k3O9SqI/AAAAAAAAAIs/pLxkl01E2hw/s1600/DSC_5330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KUtq1l3yPUw/Trb2k3O9SqI/AAAAAAAAAIs/pLxkl01E2hw/s320/DSC_5330.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Not only will they have to be durable enough to last three months of continuous usage without breaking down or coming apart, they'll need to be lightweight, ergonomic, and efficient. If not, it'll be our arms that fail us. Paddles are as important for such a trip as shoes are for a marathon. Too heavy and our arms wear out. Not comfortable and our wrists cramp up. Too frail and they break. Not efficient and we grow tired.<br /><br />To solve this problem we got in tough with Danny at&nbsp;<a href="http://whiskeyjackpaddles.com/index.asp">Whiskeyjack Paddles</a> in Whitefish, Montana. A craftsman as well as an artist, his work is a wonderful blend of form and function. A little more than a week after we placed an order for some custom designed paddles, they were in. The result of Danny's hard work was simply breathtaking.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4SVSS06E29E/Trb3C6nr5ZI/AAAAAAAAAI8/Sb3NMCZKXJU/s1600/DSC_5340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4SVSS06E29E/Trb3C6nr5ZI/AAAAAAAAAI8/Sb3NMCZKXJU/s320/DSC_5340.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><br />Each paddle weighs in at roughly 1 pound. The shafts and blade are bent to proved for a cleaner exit from the water (thus creating less drag) and less strain on the wrist. They're virtually weightless, yet more sturdy and stable than our heavier paddles. And the appearance... Just see for yourself.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r-u1FLqZJMc/Trb3R6wx0II/AAAAAAAAAJE/_CJ4tQWOo6A/s1600/DSC_5333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r-u1FLqZJMc/Trb3R6wx0II/AAAAAAAAAJE/_CJ4tQWOo6A/s320/DSC_5333.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />I was worried that I'd spent too much money on the paddles and hoped that I'd notice some kind of difference when we used them. I didn't have to use them long to know that I had received my money's worth. From the very first stroke I could feel the difference. The canoe slid forward with ease and the stroke seemed almost effortless. With far less force we were traveling at the same speed and distance.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TfJVHkE4bAw/Trb3gkWRo_I/AAAAAAAAAJM/H3MpDFinNVc/s1600/DSC_5695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TfJVHkE4bAw/Trb3gkWRo_I/AAAAAAAAAJM/H3MpDFinNVc/s320/DSC_5695.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Typically, with straight paddles, Tasha would paddle on the right and I on the left. After about fifteen minutes we would switch sides as our arms grew tired. That first day on the lake with our new paddles saw us several miles over the water, exploring islands and cuts until finally, a couple hours later, we realized to our astonishment that we hadn't switched sides a single time. Our arms weren't tired and our pace wasn't slowing. By the time we wrapped up our day, we'd only switched once and that because we wanted to see how it felt on the other side. When we loaded up in the truck several hours of vigorous paddling later, we were just as fresh as when we'd first hit the water.<br /><br />We could have paddled all day... which is good since, come August, that's exactly what we'll be doing.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4TRbJwTgH0k/Trb3qMPvxUI/AAAAAAAAAJU/iiZKrjtXszg/s1600/DSC_5711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4TRbJwTgH0k/Trb3qMPvxUI/AAAAAAAAAJU/iiZKrjtXszg/s320/DSC_5711.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />I tip my hat to Whiskeyjack Paddles for the functional art they was crafted for us. These custom paddles are a thing of beauty and I look forward to using them for months on end.Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-91352767162073226282011-08-13T12:02:00.000-07:002011-08-13T12:02:40.668-07:00One Year From Now...Been a while since my last post and for those following, I apologize. Life has been pretty hectic these past several months with the troubles of starting a business, writing a novel, and of course work. But now it's time to get back to the posts because it's time to get back to the Adventures.<br /><br />In one year (August 2012), I will embark on my most ambitious adventure to date: the exploration of the full length of the Mississippi River. The countdown begins, as does the race against time to condition, outfit and prepare for such a journey.<br /><br />Why? Because it's there. Because the largest river on this continent ends its winding in my home state. Because I've never, in 31 years, set foot in those muddy currents. Because one is more likely to meet a person who has summited Mount Everest than to meet a person who has seen the full length of the Mississippi. But mainly I wish to do it because I'm curious and the sound of the river calls to me much like the sound of the road tugged at my soul before I went Walkabout in September of 2009.<br /><br />Who? I, for one, will be making the 2,320 mile voyage, spending most of my time sitting at the stern, steering the vessel. Tasha will be accompanying me, taking her seat at the bow. Between us (and rocking the boat from side to side as he looks at everything) will be Rocco (Adventure Dog). He'll be there mostly because it's nearly impossible to go anywhere for five minutes without him and definitely not three months. Also, because he'll be THE FIRST DOG TO CANOE THE ENTIRE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. EVER. PERIOD.<br /><br />When? From August 2012 to October/November 2012. It takes 75-90 days to travel from Lake Itasca, Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico by way of canoe, and launching in August will grant us mild weather while in Minnesota. As fall advances, we'll be steadily paddling south through Minneapolis, Davenport, St. Louis, Memphis, Vicksburg, Natchez, Baton Rouge and New Orleans, ending our journey near Venice, Louisiana after we paddle out to the Gulf of Mexico.<br /><br />How? With great difficulty, I expect. There are water falls in the upper portions, dozens of lakes, boats, barges, swamps, dams, locks, alligators, waves, snakes, undertow, storms, floods and hurricanes. And those are only the difficulties we'll have to face that come from beyond the gunwales of our boat. Within, we face sunburn, blisters, illness, muscle fatigue/strain, fear, apprehension, panic, frustration and arguments. Tasha and I know our relationship can withstand the difficulties associated with separation. We did it when I went Walkabout and it continues now that I drive a truck 3 weeks out of the month. But will being trapped in a canoe for three months put us to the test? Probably. No matter how fast either of us paddles, we won't be able to escape. We'll probably hate each other before the end... but we'll get through it. We'll have to. There's no way out but downstream. I just have to hope she doesn't shank me in my sleep.<br /><br />A Canoe? Yes. We're going to tackle that river in a canoe. An extremely narrow, low-profile canoe with no motor. It will be propelled by a pair of wooden paddles and a lot of manual labor. Why a canoe? Because my earliest memories on the water were in a canoe, an orange Coleman, 15.5 feet in length. Canoes are good boats for river travel, especially extended trips. They have a higher payload capacity than kayaks and even some aluminum boats, yet they're still narrow and nimble enough to slide into spots that motor driven boats could never hope to explore. They draw only a few inches of water, so those early miles through shallow portions will be easy. By most recent count, there are 22 places where one must portage a boat (carry the boat over land to cross obstacles). Most of these are small dams and waterfalls in the upper quarter of the river. Try carrying a 16 foot bass boat and let me know if it's a good idea. No. Canoes and kayaks alone can traverse the entire length of the river. And I'm not putting that high-energy dog in a kayak. I don't like swimming that much.<br /><br />What's Wrong With Me? Plenty. First is the belief that I was born in the wrong century. Exploration, facing dangers and challenges, eating bugs, drinking out of streams and sleeping on the ground suits me fine. It's not only my idea of fun, it's my ideal life. I yearn for the day when I can spend the majority of my time living like that. Secondly, my time on Walkabout didn't quench my wanderlust, it inflamed it. I got a taste for exploration and now I need more. Driving this truck 70,000 miles in the past 9 months is not enough. I see the same roads more then twice and I get antsy. I need to get off the pavement and find some other avenue... like a river. Lastly, I made a bucket list and I'm steadily checking things off. Canoeing the Mississippi has been on that list for a long time, but soon it will be crossed off. I don't ever expect to do everything on my list because I keep adding to it, but I'll cross out a hell of a lot of items before I die.<br /><br />What If I Fail? I'm going to do my very best to paddle that entire river from start to finish. I don't intend to stop in New Orleans like most thru-paddlers. That's not the end of it. I intend to do it all. If blisters force me to stop, then I'll stop... until my hands heal. Then I'll buy gloves. If a hurricane blows through, I'll wait it out. If the river floods, I'll keep paddling and watch for strange currents. But if, for some unforeseen reason, I cannot complete the trip, then I'll go home with a heavy heart and the ability to hold my head high and say "I did my best". Then I'll figure out what went wrong and start making plans to do &nbsp;it again. And do it right. And I'll finish. I promise.Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-9682447049133330582011-04-29T04:58:00.001-07:002011-04-29T08:48:01.009-07:00Dodging Tornadoes<div style="font: 13px/20px 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0px;">It started in Paul's Valley, OK. I remember Paul's Valley quite well, having spent 4 days trapped there by a winter blast that had blown down from the Rockies and swept eastward across the country, dumping as much as 27 inches of snow in a matter of hours. I rode that wave from Denver all the way to Oklahoma City, following the taillights before me until the snow became ice and the roads became glaciers. I then skidded, bounced, slid and worried my way another sixty miles to Paul's Valley where I parked for 4 days, waiting for the roads to clear.</div><div style="font: 13px/20px 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 13px/20px 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0px;">Then, a week ago, parked in Paul's Valley, the weather hit again. Another wave stretching from Texas to Canada was sweeping across the country. This wave was torrential downpours, electrical storms, and tornadoes. Hail hammered my truck while severe gusts threatened to blast me off the road. Rain and mist cut visibility down to 100 feet. Vehicles slid into the median and ditches, and tree limbs littered the interstate, providing attention-grabbing obstacles (though where they came from, I have no clue since there were no trees in sight).</div><div style="font: 13px/20px 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 13px/20px 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0px;">I got confirmation that there were indeed tornadoes in the area, crisscrossing the land, tearing up whatever they could find. I kept moving, intent on driving out of the destruction. I figured I was harder to hit as a moving target.</div><div style="font: 13px/20px 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 13px/20px 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0px;">I slept in Russellville, Arkansas and listened to Emergency Broadcast System warnings about tornadoes in a half dozen counties. That night, the violent winds shook my truck, rocking me to sleep as rain and hail slammed the roof.</div><div style="font: 13px/20px 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 13px/20px 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0px;">In West Memphis, Arkansas, just as the sun was rising above the trees and struggling to pierce the dense clouds, another driver informed me that a massive tornado had carved a 2 mile wide path of destruction out of the Little Rock area a couple hours earlier… as I was driving through Little Rock. No wonder my truck had almost been blown off I-40 several times.</div><div style="font: 13px/20px 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 13px/20px 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0px;">The winds had calmed so I thought it was over, but that afternoon I was proven wrong. While hooking to a trailer in West Memphis, a tornado struck. In an instant, the calm air was a turbulent, chaotic monster. My truck, weighing in at 78,500 lbs. felt as if it were being rammed by another truck. So violent were the gusts that it knocked my coffee mug from the cup holder. I sprinted inside the building, almost losing my footing to the winds, and took shelter inside. A couple parked trailers were overturned and a smaller trailer suddenly went sliding. It traveled a few hundred feet before crashing into a parked truck. The winds calmed a bit, only to return a half hour later. This went on in waves for several hours. By the time I left the next morning, part of the building's roof was gone.</div><div style="font: 13px/20px 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 13px/20px 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0px;">Coming out of Northern Alabama in the afternoon was just as bad. Violent winds sprang from nowhere, slamming my truck about. The skies behind me, erratic clouds and frequent lightning, looked worse than the sky before me. So I drove on, weaving down state highways, dodging fallen trees and debris for several hours. My pulse was racing, my nerves were shot, and my hands ached from gripping the steering wheel. It was like driving through a hurricane… something I have experience doing.</div><div style="font: 13px/20px 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 13px/20px 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0px;">I made it to the interstate and tore south, arriving safely in Saraland (where I was once assaulted by crackheads while on Walkabout). My training told me I should have stopped when the weather got that bad, but my instincts had been screaming for me to keep going. My instincts were proven right when I learned that a mile-wide tornado had ripped apart the area between Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, killing dozens of people and injuring hundreds more. I had been on the edge of that storm, fleeing. Had I stopped, I may very well have been part of those statistics.</div><div style="font: 13px/20px 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 13px/20px 'Trebuchet MS'; margin: 0px;">Now, I'm safe in Florida. Another day of storms followed the Birmingham tornado, but I made it through that unscathed even though a truck parked 5 spaces down from me was overturned during the night.&nbsp;This bad weather seems to be following me. I've surfed the waves of three blizzards, two flood-inducing storm systems and now tornadoes. Every two weeks another wave of severe weather washes down from the Rockies and crosses the country. I've never heard of weather like this. Wonder what I'll see next month.</div>Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-88391290842428342442011-04-10T06:21:00.000-07:002011-04-11T06:05:19.552-07:00Welcome HomeAlmost immediately after moving into my new home, I was back out on the road again. Several thousand miles later, I returned briefly to get my NC license, open a credit union account, and settle a few other things. I did get to paddle around Lake Norman a bit, but then I was in the truck again.<br /><br />Now, after owning a Charlotte address for a month and a half, I finally got to see what all the fuss was about. Tasha had been joining hiking groups left and right, and it was with one of these groups that we hiked up South Mountain.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CtZbi23BUxA/TaGuW2LpMZI/AAAAAAAAAIA/m2RucZTmqJg/s1600/600_22549179.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CtZbi23BUxA/TaGuW2LpMZI/AAAAAAAAAIA/m2RucZTmqJg/s320/600_22549179.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The trail began at a parking area where we met about twenty other people. Once gathered, we set out to conquer the trail. It traced the edge of a stream where a man in hip waders was fly fishing before crossing a narrow foot bridge. Then, it was all uphill from there.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0F0MMdwUkU/TaGuYURvd9I/AAAAAAAAAII/5Qof6kIbSOg/s1600/600_22564040.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0F0MMdwUkU/TaGuYURvd9I/AAAAAAAAAII/5Qof6kIbSOg/s320/600_22564040.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>Over boulders and mounds and up the mountain we went, ascending through the tree-covered slope. The sound of falling water grew in volume until we came to the source. The waterfall originated high in the mountain, but the source was obscured from view. From where we first glimpsed it, only the lowest portion could be seen.<br /><br />Higher still we hiked, skirting the sides of the falls as we followed it up, closer to the source. The trail was steep, one of the steepest I'd ever been on, but worth the effort. At the top, the roaring falls came into view and those standing nearest the uppermost pool were getting misted by the rushing water.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aiqdeoqtU8E/TaL8fFrYjsI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/-rpVDto92xM/s1600/600_22612421.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aiqdeoqtU8E/TaL8fFrYjsI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/-rpVDto92xM/s1600/600_22612421.jpeg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br />We stood there a while, watching the churning water fly from the ledge overhead and thunder down onto the rocks below. It was magnificent to say the least.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lzzO2o_DCQg/TaGuY_sLOuI/AAAAAAAAAIM/xVqroFls0_w/s1600/600_22564156.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lzzO2o_DCQg/TaGuY_sLOuI/AAAAAAAAAIM/xVqroFls0_w/s320/600_22564156.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>The hike, up to the falls, to the top of the mountain, and back down to the bottom, took several hours and &nbsp;a lot of energy, especially for someone from the flat country of south Louisiana. Tasha and I weren't accustomed to the elevation gain, but we didn't let that get in the way. It was just another obstacle to overcome on the way to enjoying the great outdoors.<br /><br />I wonder what day two will bring.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2W32ulCZpV8/TaGuX8IltVI/AAAAAAAAAIE/f6WgNbYp8d8/s1600/600_22549555.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2W32ulCZpV8/TaGuX8IltVI/AAAAAAAAAIE/f6WgNbYp8d8/s320/600_22549555.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>P.S. Thanks to David and Florence from the hiking group for the photos. We accidentally left our newly-repaid camera at home for this trip. Oops.Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-46414886916324188592011-03-22T16:08:00.000-07:002011-03-22T16:08:14.909-07:00The VesselEvery great voyage needs a worthy vessel. Magellan had the Trinidad, Columbus had the Nina. Leonardo DiCaprio had the Titanic. Next year, when we embark on our great river voyage, we too will have a worthy vessel. 2,400 miles of the continent's mightiest river awaits and to conquer it, we'll need the best canoe money can buy.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-lCMRTleEufE/TYkrsfhPO8I/AAAAAAAAAH8/MF__pN20jUg/s1600/penobscot_16_angl_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="96" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-lCMRTleEufE/TYkrsfhPO8I/AAAAAAAAAH8/MF__pN20jUg/s320/penobscot_16_angl_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Weighing in at a mere 65 lbs. our Old Town Penobscot will be light as a kayak, but the rolling rocker and shallow arch will keep it nimble, despite it's length. At 17 feet, it'll be able to carry 1200 lbs. of adventurers, dog, food and gear.<br /><br />Why purchase such a canoe? The answer is simple. The Mississippi doesn't fool around. In the north it's lined with boulders, turning the gentle stream into Class II and III rapids, occasionally widening into massive lakes with wind and waves fully capable of capsizing small vessels. Further south, dams and locks force paddlers to portage their craft, hauling the canoe overland for as much as a half mile before getting the hull wet again.<br /><br />Downstream, the river might as well be one giant lake. At over a mile wide in some places and 200 feet deep, it's used as a major shipping channel where barges that dwarf football fields chug along. 650,000 cubic feet of water discharge into the gulf every second from its mouth. It drains 31 states.<br /><br />The undertow is among the worst in the world as far as rivers are concerned, and driving over bridges that cross it, especially along the Arkansas/Mississippi border, once can see whirlpools the size of large houses and currents that could spin, flip and rip apart a canoe or kayak.<br /><br />The Mississippi kills people. That's why we're going all out with the canoe.<br /><br />And the vessel will be powered by the best paddles money can buy. A pair of custom-made wooden paddles with curved shafts and smooth grips.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-JzNSdqBfG6I/TYkrkQUBghI/AAAAAAAAAH4/sv2P5gsv2jE/s1600/paddles_double_river6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="92" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-JzNSdqBfG6I/TYkrkQUBghI/AAAAAAAAAH4/sv2P5gsv2jE/s320/paddles_double_river6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />But a great vessel isn't complete unless it has a name. And ours will have a name... and a logo. Soon, the world will know the awesomeness of the LIBERATED STURGEON.Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-55186786552019559102011-02-06T08:07:00.000-08:002011-02-06T08:07:46.100-08:00Great…<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TU7HAQoNF8I/AAAAAAAAAH0/Y1BnNnymDZA/s1600/DSC_1992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TU7HAQoNF8I/AAAAAAAAAH0/Y1BnNnymDZA/s320/DSC_1992.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">'They say behind every great man there's a great woman. While I'm not a great man, there's a great woman behind me.'&nbsp;</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">That quote came from Meryll Frost, a quarterback interviewed by <i>The Port Arthur News</i> in February 1946. I can relate. Like Meryll, I do not consider myself a great man. I've accomplished a few things that made me feel great, and I wouldn't mind one day earning such status.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Regardless, there is someone great standing behind me. Everything I've done in the past two and a half years, I've done with the encouragement, support, help, advice and coordination of this great woman. She helped me prepare for my Walkabout despite the possibility that it could destroy our relationship. She actually threatened to break up with me if I didn't go because she knew how much the trip meant to me. She took care of everything in my absence so that I wouldn't be burdened by worries of the affairs of home. And she helped me through some of the most difficult parts of my trip, just by emailing a few words of encouragement.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">When I returned, she supported me financially while I searched for a job. She kept everything moving while I got back on my feet and took over all the bills so I could save money for trucking school. Once that was done, she made it possible to launch into my new line of work by holding down the fort in my absence.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Now, she continues to hold down the fort, packed up all our belongings to prepare for the move to North Carolina, found us a place to live, sold off all our junk, and worked out the details concerning utilities for our new home. She did all that, while still finding time to write, take care of our four year old child who looks like a black lab puppy, sort through submissions for our writing contest, and get our taxes done.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Once the move is done, she has to start conditioning for a 3 day hike into the mountains of Peru to Machu Picchu and a three month long canoe trip down the continent's mightiest river. And that's just the outdoor stuff. There's a job search, helping to run our own home business/publishing company, find a house to buy, and countless other miscellaneous things.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">She's stressed, tired, aggravated, and discouraged, but she keeps going, dealing with one problem after another in a&nbsp; way I never could. She crushes obstacles and moves forward, leaving a trail of accomplishments in her wake. She's my Adventure Chick, my muse, my confidence. She's done more than she even realizes. She praises me for my accomplishments even though she's pushing me forward the whole time. She's my love. She's Tasha.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br /></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Maybe one day I'll be great. If so, it'll be because she was right there behind me, beside me, pushing me along and elevating me to her level.</div>Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-59685331483637509632011-01-02T13:40:00.000-08:002011-01-02T13:40:01.743-08:00Rollin', rollin', rollin'...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TSDwdYLGlPI/AAAAAAAAAHo/Gzq90WvtkvA/s1600/DSC_3028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TSDwdYLGlPI/AAAAAAAAAHo/Gzq90WvtkvA/s320/DSC_3028.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Over 15,000 miles since November 4th and having a blast. I've now seen every mile of Interstate 10 and 59, most of 40, 55, 57, and a good chunk of 20. I've also driven through a snowstorm so intense that I had no idea that I had left the desert behind and driven through a major city until I was a hundred miles on the other side of it. It was pretty crazy.<br /><br />Hometime is a different story. Though I love being on the move, my time at home never comes soon enough and when it finally arrives, it seems I'm suddenly heading back out again. Too many projects at home and not nearly enough time to work on them. There are stories that must be written, hiking poles that must be made, camping trips that must be taken and swamps that must be canoed.<br /><br />So what's the plan?<br /><br />Get moved ASAP. Hopefully I can be living in North Carolina by the beginning of March. Once there, I'll get everything organized and then try to switch to a local or regional job. My company has tons of opportunities so it shouldn't be difficult. Once that's taken care of, I'm buying the canoe. Not <i>a</i> canoe, but <b>THE</b> canoe. The canoe that's going to take Tasha, Rocco and me down the Mississippi River. The canoe that's going to fulfill a dream. The canoe that just might set a Guinness record (I'll tell you about that one prior to departure).<br /><br />But before the Mississippi Adventure, Tasha and I have another adventure lined up. South of the border, WAY south, in the mountains of Peru, lies Machu Picchu. We're going to hike the Inca Trail to the top and explore the once lost city. This will happen in 2011, but not exactly sure which month.<br /><br />In other news, I picked up a friendly traveller while in New Mexico a few weeks ago. Mark was trying to get to San Diego for Christmas and having difficulty hitching along I-10. I found him at a truck stop about 40 miles from El Paso. After learning of his direction of travel, I offered him a ride and a safe place to crash for the night. Since I have bunk beds in my truck there was plenty of room. Talking with Mark brought back fond memories of my Walkabout. I learned a little about train hopping and next time I go wandering, I'll try out that mode of transportation.<br /><br />If you're reading this Mark, take care and good luck on your travels.<br /><br />I'm out for now. Have to look up some info on Peru...Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-18712516371848580672010-11-05T19:14:00.000-07:002010-11-05T19:14:34.167-07:00Greetings From the RoadWell, I'm on the road again, though my mode of transportation is a bit different. I'm not sticking my thumb in the wind, waiting for a ride while smiling at every vehicle that passes. I'm driving around in a 77,000 pound tanker truck. A couple years ago, if someone had told me I'd one day be a trucker, I would have laughed at them. Now, I can see myself doing this for a while.<br /><br />The job: Hauling a tank full of liquid for about a thousand miles and then pumping it out into a customer's tank while making sure that I don't burn myself with acid, inhale something poisonous, detonate a 45,000 pound bomb, or misfile the mound of paperwork that comes with it all.<br /><br />The perks: I get to hang out in truck stops all over the country, face new challenges, sleep in a different state each night, work my own schedule, travel and earn some good money.<br /><br />The drawbacks: One wrong move and the liquid sloshes too hard, rolling the truck over and not being home but one week out of the month.<br /><br />But what's the real reason I'm a trucker? It all boils down to one word, the word that got me started on all this adventures tuff in the first place. WANDERLUST. I have to travel. I have to keep moving. If I don't I get antsy, and we all know what happens when I get antsy. I get moving. This job satisfies my wanderlust (at least for now). And the ability to take all my weekends at once will greatly help me out when it comes to shorter trips.<br /><br />So why am I telling you this? Because, my change in career illustrates how a person can adapt and change his station to better suit his needs or desires. I was a graphic artist for almost fifteen years, a good run in a career by any standard. But I changed my source of income entirely, spending two months in trucking school and another 6 weeks in training with my employer. Why? Because it works for me.<br /><br />If you're going to get what you want out of life, you have to be willing to let go of the things you no longer need. There's no such thing as a career, just a string of jobs in a related field. You're not tied to that field. If the day comes that another line of work would better serve your interests, then change your line of work. The idea that one must stick with it because they've invested a certain number of years just doesn't make sense.<br /><br />The same goes for your home. So your kids have moved out and your house seems empty. So what if you have a lot of great memories in that house. Those memories will remain with you forever. Get a different house better suited to your current situation.<br /><br />We must adapt in order to be happy. Life is constantly changing and parts of us, some of those details that make up our lives will have to change with it. Your life is a story, it's up to you to write it.<br /><br />What will make you happy? What changes do you need to make in order to bring more joy to your life? What do you need to add? What do you need to leave behind?<br /><br />Don't worry about leaving something behind. In the end, it's just a thing. And the world is full of things. Losing one makes room for another.Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-41383066434151115712010-08-10T15:04:00.000-07:002010-08-10T15:04:53.267-07:00Walkabout Slideshow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowFullScreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyWh_WVDi-V2Bb6mopxxSCZTVIia0IT409b1ZbbHXgsPfSGMnhxn9SR69yqYKDlVjc-ctfEBMxxzdvu9dOVGA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' FRAMEBORDER='0' /></div>Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-1045221799387992562010-07-05T15:23:00.000-07:002010-07-05T15:23:11.168-07:00Tale of Two Boats<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'MS Shell Dlg'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'MS Shell Dlg'; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TDJY4O_SevI/AAAAAAAAAG0/4O50v27f7bY/s1600/DSC_1894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TDJY4O_SevI/AAAAAAAAAG0/4O50v27f7bY/s320/DSC_1894.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">July 1st, Adventure Chick, Adventure Dog and the Newanderthal launched the canoe in the Sabine River below Toledo Bend. The custom made sun shelter kept the late morning heat off the thick-haired dog as we pushed off from the sandy bank. Our goal was simple, tackle the Class II and III rapids that lay along the next third of a mile of river without dashing our skulls against the rocks.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Neither of us had ever attempted rapids, not even Class I, so it made sense to go head on with Class III before learning the easier stuff. It's how we roll.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">The first set looked a little hairy, but as we entered, we quickly found out that it wasn't that big of a deal. The water was quick but shallow, so we were dragging keel for most of the way and didn't spin wildly out of control, flying, flipping and dying. We actually came through alright. Since it looked a little nasty, I opted to pull the canoe over to get some photos of the rapids we had just conquered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Ahead, a rock shelf stretched a third of the way across the river. We aimed for it and glided the bow of the canoe onto the submerged shelf. Then the trouble hit. The current began swinging the stern of the canoe around to the port side, forcing more of the canoe onto the shelf. I dug my paddle into the rock, but unfortunately the current was stronger. The entire port side slid onto the rock, raising it. The starboard side dipped and we tilted. A half second later, the weight shifted abruptly and the canoe shot out from under us.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TDJYLUPrQeI/AAAAAAAAAGs/cnUpxyWUoLk/s1600/DSC_1813.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TDJYLUPrQeI/AAAAAAAAAGs/cnUpxyWUoLk/s320/DSC_1813.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">The icy water came up to greet us and the entire boat seemed airborne. It went completely upside down, trapping the Adventure Dog between it and the sun screen, under water. I planted my feet and grabbed the gunwales, flinging the swamped canoe over while the Adventure Chick yanked our fuzzy friend free. Though startled, he calmed down almost instantly and retreated to the bank.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">We laughed at the incident, but watched our point-and-shoot camera float around in the flooded boat. Should have put that one in the dry sack with the SLR. Oops. After bailing the boat, we launched again and proceeded toward the next set of rapids.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">This one seemed a bit worse. The right side was Class III, which means lots of obstacles and fast moving water. The left side was Class IV, which means you stay away from it when inside a canoe. We hugged the far right side, navigating our way through a narrow shoot, around a tight bend, and over a small waterfall. Back in calm water, we managed to pull over and get photos without flipping the boat.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TDJZmtj21kI/AAAAAAAAAG8/2mqrxPBFsN8/s1600/DSC_1921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TDJZmtj21kI/AAAAAAAAAG8/2mqrxPBFsN8/s320/DSC_1921.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">After a relaxing paddle around a calmer section of river, we ate some lunch and headed home. We'd tackled our first rapids and came through unscathed. We just have to watch out for the calmer waters. That seems to be where we have our troubles.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">On July 4th, I headed out with Captain Thorton on the Calcasieu Ship Channel. The clouds were gathering, but the rain wasn't coming yet. The two of us and his dog, Tabasco, cruised downstream watching the pelicans and gulls. A few minutes into the trip, we spotted a pod of dolphins shadowing a shrimp boat.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TDJaQDN1Q6I/AAAAAAAAAHE/TEkMeJgWNjA/s1600/DSC_2064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TDJaQDN1Q6I/AAAAAAAAAHE/TEkMeJgWNjA/s320/DSC_2064.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Twenty or so miles into the trip, we pulled into a small cut off the side of the channel. While idling along, the engine died. After a few failed attempts to restart the motor, Captain Thorton investigated, discovering that the fuel filter was in dire need of changing. But after several attempts to unscrew the filter, we realized that it was rusted in place. We wrapped a belt around it, using it for grip, but it still wouldn't budge. Then we drove a screwdriver through the side to create a makeshift handle. It bent the screwdriver and tore a hole in the filter, but still it wouldn't loosen.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">A passing tanker made its way up the channel, redirecting the current as it went. Suddenly, we were being sucked back into the ship channel. With no power to alter our course, I rushed to the bow of the boat and dropped anchor. As the ocean liner faded into the distance, the current switched again and we were safe.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TDJau4tCRfI/AAAAAAAAAHM/x9x3YQ-FHpA/s1600/DSC_2070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TDJau4tCRfI/AAAAAAAAAHM/x9x3YQ-FHpA/s320/DSC_2070.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Finally, after much frustration and a little blood, the entire housing was unbolted and removed. We then set about the task of ripping the filter apart with screwdrivers, knives and pliers. Once the seal was stripped away and the filter lay in pieces atop the ice chest, we were finally able to break the threads free and remove what remained of the filter. The new one went on without a hitch and a few minor frustrations later, the housing was connected to the fuel lines once more and we tried the engine.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Crossing our fingers we listened as the engine cranked up, then died. The captain tried again, and it started. This time, it remained running.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TDJbQB1GLpI/AAAAAAAAAHU/DRoAElk-RnA/s1600/DSC_2075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TDJbQB1GLpI/AAAAAAAAAHU/DRoAElk-RnA/s320/DSC_2075.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">We moved back into the ship channel and headed toward the launch. I had a barbecue to get to and Bobby had fish to catch.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">The fuel filter tried its best to strand us, but after a small blood sacrifice to the maritime gods (in the form of bloody knuckles scraped against jagged metal) we had defeated the filter soundly. We always win and future problems should keep that in mind.</span></div></span>Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-74444588335546608702010-07-01T18:22:00.000-07:002010-07-01T18:22:06.453-07:00Hurricane Preparation Part 3<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The storm has passed and the lights are out. With any luck, your house was not cut in half by a falling tree. If it was, I am deeply sorry. Now that the town is in ruins, what do you do?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">First, you want to be careful. Before venturing outside, make sure there are no downed power lines in your yard. If there are, try contacting the power company. Avoid any downed lines at all costs. There's enough electricity running through those things to fry a whale, you don't stand a chance.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Check the perimeter of your home. If you have any damaged windows, you'll want to remove whatever projectile the hurricane felt the need to shove through the glass and string up a tarp. If you don't have a tarp, tack a sheet to the window frame on the outside of the house. Though not waterproof, it will still keep rain out, along with bugs.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">If you want to scout the damage around your home, be wary of dangerous animals. Snakes, raccoons, wasps and other critters might be in the area. Everything was shaken up by the storm and in quite a panic. They will likely seek shelter beneath anything, including a sheet of metal that blew into the yard or an overturned trash can. They're already spooked and startling them can easily provoke an attack, so watch out. Approach every piece of debris cautiously and if you pick anything up, use a stick to lift it first, looking underneath. Do NOT stick your hands or fingers under something unless you have first made certain that there's nothing under there that can hurt you. A bite from a copperhead won't kill you, but the tissue damage will ruin your weekend and the medical bill will likely cost more than your car. Not to mention the fact that you could have a couple fingers fall off.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Moving around the town might be a bit difficult. Downed trees and telephone poles will be a constant nuisance, not to mention business signs and chunks of sheet metal. Avoid running over any debris, especially wood and sheet metal as they will likely contain nails or screws, and also power lines. If the wind is still blowing hard, be mindful of intersections. Those heavy traffic lights can snap loose and do some real damage to you and your vehicle. If they are hanging at weird angles, try to cut through a parking lot or drive in a different lane to avoid being directly beneath them. You may have to get out and walk if the streets become too clogged with debris. After Rita, navigating most neighborhoods had to be done on foot. Be careful of snakes if you're hoofing it. Also, if any cops pass through, wave or nod at them. Do NOT try to duck them. They might assume you're a looter and toss you in the slammer.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Check on any nearby friends and family members and see if they need help clearing branches from their driveway or road. If you have friends nearby who evacuated, check on their homes in case there's damage. the only thing worse than having your home damaged while you're in it is having it damaged a week before you can get there to prevent water from pouring in.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Communications will likely be down for a while. Your home phone will go out as soon as a line gets snapped, and cell phone towers can take damage. Turn on your phone and check for signal. Get in the middle of your yard for the best chance for reception. If you get no signal, turn the phone off. Check it again in a day or two, turning it off when not in use. Also, remove the battery. If you run down the battery when you don't have signal, you can't use it when you do.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Listen to your radio. If the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1278033594_0" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; cursor: pointer;">National Guard</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">or the County/Parish sets up a relief center where citizens can get food, water and ice, you need to know about it. Also, if the tap water is not suitable for drinking, you need to know. Only run the radio for a few hours, and actually listen to it. Keep it tuned to the local emergency station or the weather station.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Open up your windows to let some cool air blow through the house. Without air conditioning, your home will become an oven when the sun comes out. Get some fresh air in there. At night, only open the windows with screens over them.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">There will be bugs. The storm will have blown down every wasp nest in a 200 mile radius and quite a few will be in your yard. And the ground hornets will be flooded out. If they become a nuisance, the solution is easy and cheap. Fill a glass or ceramic bowl with steep sides with a sweet liquid.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1278033594_1" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; cursor: pointer;">Sunny Delight</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">&nbsp;</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">works best, but any fruit juice, Kool Aid or even cold coffee with sugar will work. Fill the bowls about halfway and set them around the outside of your house. The wasps will fall in while trying to drink. It's an easy to make wasp trap. If they fill the bowl, scoop the dead ones out with a spoon and toss them in the dumpster.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Start cooking your refrigerator food so it doesn't go bad. Remember to keep your refrigerator visits short and few. The more time that door stays open, the faster it will loose its cool air and things will begin to spoil.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">If the National Guard is called in and your area is declared a Disaster Area, the whole situation changes. You need to find out when the curfew begins and ends, and where the Disaster Area boundaries are. If you leave the area, you will not be allowed back in. They don't let people return, even if you never evacuated. Even if you left for a couple of hours to purchase food for your family, on the return trip they will turn you around. They will not allow you to bring food to your family that's still in the area. However, they can't cover every route in and out of the disaster area. They'll start by blocking off the interstate and major highways, and then move on to smaller highways and large roads. However, even the National Guard doesn't have the manpower to block all the roads.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Before leaving for food, you should scout some of the back roads that lead in and out of the area. If you see the National Guard has a checkpoint on the highway leading out of town, find a way around the checkpoint before you leave. On the way back, take the detour to avoid them. You need to scout these alternate routes ahead of time. If they are blocked by downed trees, you need to know before leaving.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">If every road is blocked, there's still a way to get food from a safe zone back into town, but it's tricky. You need several people and two vehicles. What you want to do is leave a vehicle parked on the inside of the disaster zone near some kind of path, such as railroad tracks or a pipeline, anything that you can traverse on foot. You then take a second vehicle out to buy groceries from a few towns over or the next state or wherever. On the way back, if the National Guard won't let you through, you park your car near the path, out of sight. Then, using backpacks or a four wheeler or a little red wagon, transport the groceries to the car on the inside of the disaster area. Any time you need to make a supply run, just walk over to the car on the outside and make your run. Then park it and sneak back in.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Don't run around at night. There will likely be a curfew, and if there isn't, you'll look suspicious. Also, it's dangerous. You could step on a nail, a snake, or get mugged. Stay around the house and have a barbecue. Eat some of that food you have thawing out. Clean up in the cold bath water and get some sleep. Read a book.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Lastly, try to have fun. Explore your damaged town and take lots of pictures. Keep a journal about all you've seen and done. Tell ghost stories, play games or just sit around and talk. Or go camping. You could even spend a night under an overpass. Some of them have a neat little shelf at the top that offers protection from the wind and rain. They're quite comfortable and can keep you safe from the elements, even during the storm itself (I speak from experience). The storm is only a disaster if you don't find a way to enjoy yourself during the experience. If you can enjoy yourself, then it's an adventure and you'll have much better stories to tell.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-49633277122876712832010-06-24T12:21:00.000-07:002010-06-24T12:21:06.462-07:00Dumpster Diving<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'MS Shell Dlg'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'MS Shell Dlg'; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TCOu7rztypI/AAAAAAAAAGc/7b9M8js_a00/s1600/DSC_1749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TCOu7rztypI/AAAAAAAAAGc/7b9M8js_a00/s320/DSC_1749.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Palatino-Roman, serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Palatino-Roman, serif; font-size: 16px;">Patrolled the empty streets of Sulphur the other night, cruising along, seeking out any promising looking dumpsters. Dumpster Diving is an art, one that I'm new at, and like any other, there's lots to learn. Like which dumpsters are locked and which are open. Or when trash pickup is. Or which stores have a compactor instead of a dumpster. These are all things I'm learning and the best way to learn is to do.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">So the other night, my Adventure Chick and I went out and jumped in. The first dumpster was behind a retail store. Some stores toss out some pretty good items. You can find all sorts of things in a dumpster. This one was full of flattened cardboard boxes. Strike one.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">The next dumpster turned out to not be a dumpster at all. I was going to hit up a medium sized grocery store in an attempt to score some free produce. Entire heads of lettuce get tossed if there's not enough room. You can get for free food in such good condition and so far on the good side of the expiration date that you'd pay full price for them. The grocery store we marched behind had a compactor instead of a dumpster. All their trash gets compressed, smashed to a pulp and sealed in a large container that's impossible to access from the outside. Strike two.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Near the Dollar Store was a cop. He was sitting in his car, watching movies. Good thing dumpster diving is not baseball. Strike three.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">The dumpster beside another dollar store yielded a battery-powered AM/FM radio. It was about the size of a deck of cards with a collapsable antenna. It works perfectly. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Behind another store, I score about fifteen loaves of bread, most of which have not hit their sell by date. There's also a few packs of hot dog buns, Texas toast and rolls. Some of the packs are damaged, sliced open by a careless stocker who doesn't know how to wield a box cutter. A couple have mold. Those are given to a person who owns ducks. A couple loaves were pressed a little while shipping and have a few slices that are crushed. There's nothing wrong with most of the slices. Most of the loaves are in perfect condition. There's no reason for them to be tossed out. It's more bread than we could use in months, so we give most of it away. We toss three loaves in the freezer, one in the refrigerator along with a whole loaf of Texas toast.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TCOwE6iOdBI/AAAAAAAAAGk/oR8UpWuA6oQ/s1600/DSC_1748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TCOwE6iOdBI/AAAAAAAAAGk/oR8UpWuA6oQ/s320/DSC_1748.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">A few other dumpsters are either empty or have only trash. Stuff like empty fast food bags and crumbled paper. Behind a pizza joint we find a pizza box, closed, right on top of all the trash. Most of the trash is damaged boxes. Inside the closed box is an entire pepperoni, olive and mushroom pizza. The crust isn't even stale. It doesn't smell funny. It smells like pepperoni and pizza sauce. It smells like a fresh pizza should. We take it home.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Back at home, my dog is confused at why we went grocery shopping at 3 in the morning. He doesn't understand why we're sorting through dozens of loaves of bread. He can't figure out why we're eating pizza at 5 am, but he's thankful that he gets the crust.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">I gave the radio to my brother. He's going to use it at work. The ducks love the bad bread and the people love the dozen plus loaves of good bread. The Adventure Dog, my Adventure Chick and I enjoyed the dumpster pizza.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Someone thought it was all trash. Someone was wrong. And out there, more perfectly good food is thrown away than what it would take to feed every hungry person in the entire world.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Once, a few buddies and I filled the entire trunk of a car with good food taken from one dumpster behind one store. It only took five minutes to find that much. More was left behind because we simply didn't have room.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Do me a favor. I won't ask you to go digging through the trash, but could you not throw away stuff that isn't trash? If it's food, give it to someone who needs it. If it's clothes, drop it off at a Goodwill or similar thrift store. If it's electronics or other items, hold a garage sale so that someone who needs that item can buy it. Don't trash what someone else needs.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Thanks.</span></div></span>Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-14247125006602591962010-06-20T18:33:00.001-07:002010-06-20T18:33:18.782-07:00Hurricane Preparation Part 2<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Now that you've purchased some supplies to help you wait out a hurricane, there's a few things you should do just prior to landfall. Preparation doesn't end at the grocery store.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">First, fill some containers with water and freeze them. Plastic ice cream buckets, 2 liter coke bottles and milk jugs work great for this. Fill them 2/3 full and freeze them with the tops off. Once frozen solid, mostly fill the gap and freeze again. Attach the lids and store them in the back of the freezer. You should have enough to nearly completely fill the empty space in the freezer. This will keep your food cold once the power goes out.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Second, arrange the junk in your freezer so that you can get to the good stuff easily. Pull meats to the front and shove the frozen bottles to the back. Put meats on one side and vegetables on another. Organize it as best you can and remember where everything is. When you have to remove an item, you can't afford to be digging for two minutes. Open the door, grab it, shot the door. Ten seconds is the longest that door can remain open. And you will only open your freezer once per day.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Third, fill as many waterproof containers with water as possible. Start collecting empty milk jugs and drink containers now. 1 gallon Hawaiian Punch jugs are awesome for this, so are milk jugs, tea jugs, plastic coke bottles, etc. Rinse them out and put them aside in a cabinet or closet. Once the hurricane becomes a certainty, fill them ALL up. Water pressure will fall once the power goes out. A good quantity for drinking water is 10 gallons per person in the household. That should be enough to last a little over 2 weeks, which is plenty. Also, fill large pots for use as cleaning water for dishes. Wash all your dishes and fill up both sinks. If you have large plastic totes or buckets, put them in the bathroom and fill them up. This is how you'll bathe and flush the toilet.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Cook a large meal and have the whole family dig in. This will get rid of some of that frozen food so that nothing goes to waste. The leftovers will keep for a couple days and you won't have to cook or clean pots for a while. If you have an electric stove, this will also be the last well-made meal you'll have for a while.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Everyone should take a good, thorough shower a few hours before the hurricane. It'll be a while before you get another good cleaning, and you don't want to give horrible body odor a head start. Once the bathing is done, fill the bath tub with water.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Unplug electronics and move them away from windows. Power surges could fry them and even start electrical fires. Your phones and laptops should all be charged.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">When the storm hits, keep your kids calm. The situation will have them on edge. Getting them to help out with the effort will go a long way to raising their spirits. Have them unplug the electronics. Once that's done, get the kids to play with the dog. Tell them that the dog is scared and playing with the dog will help out the family pet. Giving them something to take care of will turn them into the protectors. Occasionally ask them how the dog is doing. Their response will likely indicate their own feelings rather than those of the dog. Downplay the hurricane. Tell them it's just a storm that takes a little longer to pass than most and that most people evacuate because they're scared of thunder. The kids might even find it silly to be afraid of hurricanes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Once the power goes out, play a board game or tell ghost stories. Since the TV is off, spend some quality time bonding with your family. You'd be amazed how much fun a Category 3 hurricane can be.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Soon, I'll go over some things to keep in mind for AFTER the storm passes. These things include navigating through a ruined town, finding food when there's no open stores, dealing with the National Guard if the area is declared a Disaster Zone and getting around when the area has been put on lock-down.</span></div>Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-48932484335605079362010-06-10T18:08:00.000-07:002010-06-10T18:08:12.349-07:00Hurricane Preparation Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TBGMbfv5EFI/AAAAAAAAAGU/bJrQCR9TRE8/s1600/IMG_0569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TBGMbfv5EFI/AAAAAAAAAGU/bJrQCR9TRE8/s320/IMG_0569.JPG" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Palatino-Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Not everyone will evacuate in the event of a hurricane. Plenty of people stay behind for whatever reason. As with past hurricanes, I will be one of those people who elect to ignore mandatory evacuation orders. Leaving can be dangerous (Hurricane Rita killed 7 people, but 113 died in the evacuation before the storm made landfall), costly (renting hotel rooms in the far north corner of the state that lose power anyway) and frustrating (idling on Highway 27 for 2 days while waiting for the traffic to move 100 yards).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Whatever your reason, should you decide to stay, you need to be prepared, and that means preparing today. Those who wait until the storm is heading for the area will find themselves on a crowded canned goods aisle with 600 other lunatics all fighting over the last can of asparagus. You'll leave the store with only a roll of paper towels to show for your efforts.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">What you need is a hurricane box. It's a box full of junk that you'll need during a hurricane. Should one hit, knock out power and communications, you'll be prepared while others will be trying to open a can of beans without their electric can opener.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">I have a large Sterilite tote which serves as my kit. You can pick one up at Wal-Mart or the dollar store. Or just get some cardboard boxes and fill them up. Anyway, here's a list of what you can put in there to turn the rough times into an adventure.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Instant brown rice<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Campbell's chunky soup<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">canned chili<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">canned vegetables<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">fruit cocktail<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">peanut butter<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">jelly<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">peanut butter<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">trail mix<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">granola bars<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">instant mashed potatoes (just add water kind in the small bags)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">summer sausage<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">canned tuna<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">pre-cooked chicken (preserved in bags)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">oatmeal<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">crackers<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">battery powered radio<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">wasp spray<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">toilet paper<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">paper towels<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">candles<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">batteries<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">flashlight<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">LED lantern<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">cash<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">roll of quarters<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">paper plates<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">manual can opener<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">camp stove with fuel<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Now you might be asking why one would need cash and quarters. I have experience in the post-hurricane scenario and having cash is a huge help. When a grocery store finally opens up but because of downed communications the credit card machines don't work, only those with cash can shop. And as soon as you can, you'll want to wash some clothes and the commercial laundromat will have power before you do.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">The trick to buying these things is to do your shopping when you go to buy groceries. Each time you make a trip to the store, add a few items from the hurricane list to your shopping list. Start with the items that will go first if a hurricane hits, like the canned goods and batteries. From there, get the radio, candles and more food. Work your way down until you're done. If a hurricane moves into the gulf, speed up your purchases.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Palatino-Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino-Roman;">Soon I'll post again about what to do just before the hurricane makes landfall.</span></div>Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-42811628407734789052010-06-06T00:48:00.000-07:002010-06-06T00:48:32.643-07:00Beach Cleanup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TAtRSlhZPhI/AAAAAAAAAGE/N5fbzRJl_8o/s1600/IMG_0544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TAtRSlhZPhI/AAAAAAAAAGE/N5fbzRJl_8o/s320/IMG_0544.JPG" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'MS Shell Dlg'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'MS Shell Dlg'; font-size: 13px;">I snatched a few hours of sleep after getting home from my night job, then headed out to Holly Beach with my girlfriend. There, we joined up with almost 200 other volunteers. Our goal was to clean up as much trash and sea weed as possible so that when/if the massive oil slick reaches that section of the coast, the impact will be lessened, the oil cleanup will go smoother, and less toxic debris will be stuffed in our landfills. Cleaning up sand is one thing, but when you also have tons of sea weed and trash that's also caked in sludge, the whole process grinds to a halt.</span><br /><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'MS Shell Dlg'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'MS Shell Dlg'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Armed with rakes and sun screen we descended upon the beach in scores, rushing to pull the washed up sea weed away from the advancing tide. It was hauled up, bit by bit and then gathered into piles. Those piles were then loaded into trucks and onto trailers where they were hauled away where they will ultimately decay into large mounds of fertile soil.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'MS Shell Dlg'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'MS Shell Dlg'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">A few hours later, the line of sea weed that typically adorns the tidal zone was completely gone as far as the eye could see in both directions. It was a very productive day and should the oil hit that section of beach, the cleanup will be much easier. But that's just one beach. The cleanup goes on. Some 90 miles of beach must be prepared for the worst. That preparation will not only make cleanup easier, but will also save the lives of hundreds or even thousands of birds, like the brown pelican.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'MS Shell Dlg'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TAtSoWgoB6I/AAAAAAAAAGM/dAjlTaA2YVE/s1600/DSC_1645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TAtSoWgoB6I/AAAAAAAAAGM/dAjlTaA2YVE/s320/DSC_1645.JPG" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'MS Shell Dlg'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'MS Shell Dlg'; font-size: 13px;">Please, check out <a href="http://www.gulfresponse.org/">www.gulfresponse.org</a> and sign up to be a volunteer. You'll be fed lunch and the sun hats, sun screen, rakes, trash bags, bug spray, gloves, shirts and water are all provided for you. All you have to do is donate some time, which is the one resource that is rapidly running out during this time of crisis.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'MS Shell Dlg'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></div>Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-86679757211736899662010-05-29T14:07:00.000-07:002010-05-29T14:49:52.732-07:00Renegade Canoeing and Urban SpelunkingWe're at it again. Or were, earlier today, exploring places we probably shouldn't have been. In this case, a drainage tunnel that runs under Holly Hill Road in Lake Charles.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TAGIrpUleyI/AAAAAAAAAFU/iwQtzEq-Ls4/s1600/IMG_0473.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TAGIrpUleyI/AAAAAAAAAFU/iwQtzEq-Ls4/s320/IMG_0473.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476808905267182370" /></a><br />Adventure Chick and the Newanderthal launched the canoe near The Landing on Prien Lake Road and found the tunnel, a culvert about 5 feet in diameter. The water in the bayou smelled like a mixture of mildew, sewage and rotten death. Ahead, the culvert yawned like the waiting mouth of some hungry serpent.<br /><br />And into the darkness we paddled. The water in the drain pipe was only 6-8 inches deep and, despite my preconceived notions, had no scent whatsoever. The scorching sun was left behind and our eyes soon became acclimated to the dim lighting. We were each equipped with a small headlamp, and shortly after switching them on, mine began to flicker. I made a mental note to throw away the aged light and purchase another as soon as possible.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TAGJe2ktBMI/AAAAAAAAAFc/ohfrj-I0s3I/s1600/IMG_0478.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TAGJe2ktBMI/AAAAAAAAAFc/ohfrj-I0s3I/s320/IMG_0478.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476809784997774530" /></a><br />The water was too shallow to paddle, so we propelled the canoe forward with our hands. After no more than a hundred feet, we were beached. The slight incline of the drain pipe had reduced the depth of water to just a few inches and even the shallow draft of the canoe was too much. Now it was time to get dirty.<br /><br /><br />Our adventure pants came in handy as we removed the legs, converting them to shorts. We slipped off our shoes and proceeded on foot through the ankle deep water. We tried to avoid stepping on the numerous catfish swimming around, and were quite successful. Occasionally we aimed the camera out of an overhead storm drain and snapped a few shots as a reference so that we might discover where we were going.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TAGKcb3bHMI/AAAAAAAAAFk/VDV6lEWR9Wk/s1600/IMG_0499.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TAGKcb3bHMI/AAAAAAAAAFk/VDV6lEWR9Wk/s320/IMG_0499.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476810842980424898" /></a><br /><br />We walked, hunched over for a few hundred more feet before the tunnel grew taller and we were able to stand upright. I'm not ashamed to say that I smacked my head more than a few times and added a couple new scratches to my well-worn adventure hat. After a half hour or so, we decided to turn back. The battery in the camera was fading and we were both getting hungry (crawling through drain tunnels works up the appetite).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TAGK-PzSxUI/AAAAAAAAAFs/M6LSmIZCYuc/s1600/IMG_0527.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TAGK-PzSxUI/AAAAAAAAAFs/M6LSmIZCYuc/s320/IMG_0527.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476811423857427778" /></a><br />Once we emerged and returned to the truck, we followed the route by locating houses and signs we had seen from the storm drains and discovered that the tunnel runs beneath Holly Hill Road and we had followed it for over half a mile before turning around.<br /><br />We need some rubber boots, better head lamps, full batteries, and perhaps a video camera, in case we come across the Ninja Turtles or that freaky clown from IT. Speaking of that freaky clown, we did find evidence that he's around here...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TAGLdqHb1SI/AAAAAAAAAF0/AnZSV5HUzL0/s1600/IMG_0525.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/TAGLdqHb1SI/AAAAAAAAAF0/AnZSV5HUzL0/s320/IMG_0525.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476811963497174306" /></a><br />Thus concludes our Renegade Canoe trip and first adventure in Urban Spelunking.Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-20734961038647582132010-05-03T18:42:00.001-07:002010-05-03T19:04:35.502-07:00Renegade Photography<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/S999PydnwVI/AAAAAAAAAE8/5fttCxqMUk0/s1600/DSC_1049.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/S999PydnwVI/AAAAAAAAAE8/5fttCxqMUk0/s320/DSC_1049.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467226182848594258" /></a><br />Renegade Camping is camping in a place you're not supposed to, like the clumps of trees near an exit ramp beside the interstate or in some bushes outside a large bank.<br /><br />Renegade Breakfast is when you take advantage of the complimentary breakfast of a hotel when you're not a guest.<br /><br />Those are two of my favorite things to do and partaking in such activities provided excitement and tasty treats while on my Walkabout. But there's another activity I enjoy and that's Renegade Photography.<br /><br />Renegade Photography is when you have to break the law to get the photos you want. Such as crawling through an already broken window into an abandoned building so you can snap shots of old jail cells and broken toilets.<br /><br />Sound fun? It is. Especially when you get to play with giant levers that slide the prison locks into place or look out the barred windows overlooking town and see how the inmates saw things back in the early 1900's.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/S99-hvq5DaI/AAAAAAAAAFE/TYW9sCeH7gY/s1600/DSC_1050.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/S99-hvq5DaI/AAAAAAAAAFE/TYW9sCeH7gY/s320/DSC_1050.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467227590848220578" /></a><br />In the DeRidder jail, which was used around 1914, there are currently 2 light bulbs that are still burning. Their yellow light casts an eerie glow over the shadowy stairwell that spirals through the heart of the concrete building. The dust is half an inch thick and every metal surface is covered in rust and flaking paint. The walls are peeling and glass crunches beneath your feet as you walk.<br /><br />There's old locks and beds and toilets and showers. The sunlight throws beams of light across the floor. Nothing moves.<br /><br />Try finding that without trespassing.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/S9-ABkwNPbI/AAAAAAAAAFM/2B-MjEkaj6k/s1600/DSC_1023.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/S9-ABkwNPbI/AAAAAAAAAFM/2B-MjEkaj6k/s320/DSC_1023.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467229237185166770" /></a><br />I go on these Renegade Photo Shoots because I love abandoned buildings. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's the abundance of strange textures. Maybe it's the silence. Perhaps the eeriness attracts me. I feel like an explorer when I'm in there. It's an adventure, like crawling through the ruins of some ancient culture long, long forgotten. In a way, that's true, if not entirely accurate. These are ruins, left over from the early part of last century, forgotten by modern society.<br /><br />It's like I'm Indiana Jones, only there's no giant ball of stone rolling after me and fewer pygmies with blowguns.Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7305257954617372260.post-235167470111402302010-03-24T12:27:00.000-07:002010-03-24T13:06:43.008-07:00These Boots Are Made For Walkin'...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/S6powkdubKI/AAAAAAAAAE0/GmnWhs7yk7M/s1600/DSC_0001.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SwIXpb9CKlw/S6powkdubKI/AAAAAAAAAE0/GmnWhs7yk7M/s320/DSC_0001.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452285482516769954" /></a><br />The most important piece of gear on any hiking or backpacking trip is the pair of boots on your feet. You can have the latest Granite Gear pack, Northface jacket and Eureka tent but if your boots don't hold up, neither will you. It's like your car on a road trip. Pack all the sandwiches you like to minimize food stops, but if your engine can't take it, your trip is over before it begins. Boots are that important. They're the foundation of every walking trip. So let's take a look at the boots that took me from Sulphur, LA to Boston, MA and back again.<br /><br />Surprising as it might seem, the boots I chose were the cheapest items of my major gear. They were less than the backpack, tarp shelter, knife and sleeping bag. So why go cheap when footwear is so important? Because I'd owned a pair of these before.<br /><br />The Canyon, by Magellan (Academy Brand) is an all leather hi-top boot with a black sole. They're nothing fancy to look at, just a classic-style leather hiking boot. A bit on the heavy side, but waterproof and tough. I purchased them for $50 at Academy in Lake Charles in late July and got them broken in. Being leather, they're a little stiff at first, but after wearing them for a week to work, they'd loosened up. By mid-August, they were ready for long trips.<br /><br />Throughout the trip I spent countless hours pounding the pavement with a heavy pack on my shoulders, pressing my feet into my cheap boots. Walking on pavement is not my favorite thing to do, but when hitching, it's a must. A few times I walked about 20 miles on the shoulder of interstate, sidewalks and curbs. The unyielding concrete did little as the thick soles protected my feet from the torture. The only time I felt any soreness was at the end of Day 2 when I walked from Sulphur to Lake Charles, hitched to Welsh, and then walked to Jennings. My pack was heaviest then and my feet not yet toughened from the trip.<br /><br />The boots held up over pavement, rocks, rough terrain and even railroad tracks. They took lacerations from jagged rocks and rusted metal. They were rained on, stomped through mud and water, slid down mountains and climbed back up again. They kept my ankles safe from sprains and awkward twisting while navigating rocky river beds and gripped true while scrambling along in the Appalachian Mountains. They kept the water out when I couldn't stay out of it and my feet stayed dry. They took all the abuse I could throw at them and never let me down.<br /><br />But most of all they walked, and walked. And walked some more. I'm wearing those same Walkabout boots to work today, just like I have been every day since I finished the trip. Come to think of it, Magellan Canyons are the only shoes I've worn in the past four years...Newanderthalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02668776095657043407noreply@blogger.com1